Of Guilt and Love
by BlondeChick2009
Summary: Harry finds peace among the Quidditch stands. A fluffy one-shot for whispered touches's Dashboard Confessional challenge.


A short fluffy one-shot written for whispered touches's Dashboard Confessional Challenge at the HPFC forum. The song is _The Rush. _My first Harry/Ginny fic :)

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_Of Guilt and Love_

Harry woke up, sometime in the early morning hours, a recurring nightmare once again outstripping his alarm by several hours.

Not for the first time, he wished he'd never picked up the Half Blood Prince's potions book.

Images of Malfoy lying in a pool of his own blood kept interrupting an otherwise fitful sleep.

Harry almost felt as though he preferred occasional nightmares where Voldemort stalked around.

At least then he wouldn't have to feel the Slytherins' murderous glares in the hall or wake up every morning thinking this would be the day he had to look Malfoy in the face…

On the opposite side of the room, Neville gave a particularly hearty snore.

Knowing he'd never get back to sleep at this rate, Harry dug the Invisibility Cloak out from his trunk and rummaged under his four-poster for the Firebolt. He then pulled on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt.

Once down the stairs, Harry made sure no one was in the common room before flinging the cloak over himself.

The Fat Lady didn't make a sound as he pushed her portrait open. Upon glancing over his shoulder, Harry saw that she wasn't at her post.

He shrugged. He didn't suppose he'd be back before breakfast. No one would be bothered by his absence.

He doubted he'd run into anyone on this excursion.

Hopping over the trick step, Harry pushed on the doors in the entrance hall. He tried not to be disappointed when they didn't move. He'd been looking forward to a stroll through the grounds.

Luckily, a nearby portrait led straight to the Quidditch pitch.

"Hollyhead Harpies," he mumbled to the broom-wielding wizard guarding the entrance.

"What? Who goes there?" The aged wizard peered around uneasily.

"Me…Harry Potter." Harry pulled off his cloak just enough for the portrait to see his face.

"Mr. Potter…so you're really having a practice this early, are you?"

"Er…sure," Harry answered, bewildered.

"Oh, alright then."

Harry muttered his thanks as he clambered through into the long tunnel.

He should have been more suspicious of the portrait's odd question, because when he arrived at the pitch, he was a bit alarmed to find that someone was already there, flying around the field.

Harry mounted his broom and took off after the mystery flier.

In a matter of seconds, he had caught up with her.

"Ginny?"

The other flier looked to her left and smiled. "Hello, Harry."

"How did you get out here?"

"The Quidditch Player's portrait. The Fat Lady wasn't in hers," she added, heading off his next question.

"I have an invisibility cloak, though."

They were now gliding gracefully along, weaving in and out of the towers.

"I don't mind breaking the rules, Harry."

Harry smiled. "I 'spose not."

_Rush  
I need the rush  
to pulse through my veins_

His heart considerably lighter, Harry began to add aerobatics to his flight pattern, twirling and rolling through the air effortlessly.

Ginny laughed after him. "Showoff!"

But instead of continuing on her linear course, Ginny followed suit, racing circles around Harry as he rocketed upward, spinning like one of the bottle rockets Dudley used to shoot at stray cats for fun.

As he leveled out, he heard Ginny giggling behind him. Obviously, she wanted a chase. Harry dipped forward and shot toward the ground, gathering speed at a dangerous rate. With the winds whistling in his ears, he couldn't tell if Ginny had followed his dive or not.

Feet from the ground, he pulled out and let his toes skim the grass. He turned the broom, just in time to see Ginny pull out of a spectacular dive herself.

"Well done, Ginny!" He flew back to her side and grinned at her. "I wish I could have been there to see you fly at the Cup match."

Ginny only laughed. "If you'd been there, you'd have gotten the snitch yourself."

Harry knew this. He felt his familiar loathing of Snape jump another notch.

They continued flying along at a slow, steady pace for another hour. When Ginny steered her broom to one of the tall towers, Harry followed.

They settled into the stands to watch the stars fading into the approaching dawn.

After a while, Harry asked Ginny why she was out so early.

"Couldn't sleep. I haven't been able to for a while. It's been getting better, though, since we started dating."

Harry looked at her. She was staring off past the castle, with a starry look in her eyes.

He leaned over a kissed her on the lips, cupping her face in his hand.

_And I'll love you tonight  
Oh I love you tonight_

When they broke away, he noticed a red tinge to her cheeks.

She was so beautiful.

"Why are you out here?"

"Same reason," he answered vaguely. He didn't want to tell her how incredibly guilty he felt about Malfoy. He didn't want her know about the nightmares that had resulted from his ill judgment.

And this she seemed to understand, for she simply nodded and rested her head on his shoulder.

For another hour they sat and watched the castle come to life. The sun rose and the final straggling owls took roost in the Owlery. They watched Hagrid's cabin lights turn on and smoke spiral from the chimney.

When a few students appeared and walked down to the lake, they left their spot in the tower and walked hand in hand to the castle in quiet content.

_And I'll love you tonight  
I will love you tonight  
and tomorrow we may just feel the same_


End file.
